On May 11 in Utah, a Tesla operating in Autopilot mode rear-ended a fire truck that was stopped at a red light. The 28-year-old unnamed Tesla driver admitted that she was looking at her phone when the accident happened. The collision occurred at around 60 mph and police say it does not look like the car attempted to brake before the collision.
The crash caused significant injuries. The driver of the Tesla suffered a broken foot, and the driver of the fire truck suffered a whiplash injury.
Tesla Inc.'s Autopilot system uses radar, 360-degree cameras, and sensors to detect nearby cars and objects. It is marketed as the "future of driving" and is built so cars can automatically change lanes, steer, park and brake to help avoid collisions.
However, the company warns that self-driving technology should not be relied on entirely to avoid accidents. Drivers should still remain alert while using Autopilot.
According to police, the driver of the Tesla in this crash may face charges for failing to maintain the safety of her vehicle, which would be a traffic infraction. The National Transportation Safety Board has not opened an investigation into the collision, though it could decide to do so.
Source: latimes.com, cbsnews.com
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